Some of those less acclaimed, below-the-radar albums can be quite rewarding. Also because an album that may not appeal initially may eventually connect with you. Personally I like to get away from big albums everyone raves about and occasionally listen to an album I know is an under-performer, perhaps one by a hobbyist musician in his basement or whatever. It's a different experience, and not a bad one just because the album has 2 and 3 star ratings.

That is absolutely true. For instance, I love PYRAMAZE's music and all their albums are rated around 3 stars each on PA. I think it just comes down taste and opinion. Your right about what you said though. Certain songs are so good on an overall mediocre album. To good to pass up.

There's a couple of artists that I only had an interest in that never lasted past the first album I tried. I still listen to those albums when they come up in rotation. I don't really consider the albums to be mediocre, they just didn't click with me but there wasn't a dislike that would make me toss them out. I sure as hell don't collect albums just for the sake of having them...

^ Very, very good point, Brian. This is exactly why I buy certain CDs. Maybe I don't like the music as much as its fans do, but I will still know it's regarded as a masterwork. I like keeping good stuff. And there's a lot of stuff that doesn't click - doesn't mean it doesn't deserve infinitely many more shots. I will listen to it as much as it takes no matter what critical things people have to say about it, be it DT or a post-early-70's Bee Gees album. Now, if something really makes me sick, I will still keep it just because it is regarded as a classic. Who knows? Maybe someday I will put up with things that used to grate my ears. If people don't like the album much, I won't buy it. And if I do not come back to a certain album, then it's because I'm busy with something else.

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

you must have some awfully bizarre, insane and stupid ideas about collectors ... if I want all Mozart, wtf would I care if you think it is a 1-star, 2-star, or 3-star, specially when it went by your rankings? Likewise, if I like music, and I did not care if it was prog or not, why would you be criticizing something I like? Or me criticising something that you like?

There is no such thing as mediocre prog, or superior prog, and this is not a racist board ... so be kind enough to stop saying that one person is inferior to another! Snow Dog's comments are just as valid as mine .,.. except that he can't have the ugly duckling nickname ... that's mine!

Edited by moshkito - March 17 2013 at 12:55

... none of the hits, none of the time ... now you know what the art is all about! www.pedrosena.com

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

you must have some awfully bizarre, insane and stupid ideas about collectors ... if I want all Mozart, wtf would I care if you think it is a 1-star, 2-star, or 3-star, specially when it went by your rankings? Likewise, if I like music, and I did not care if it was prog or not, why would you be criticizing something I like? Or me criticising something that you like?

There is no such thing as mediocre prog, or superior prog, and this is not a racist board ... so be kind enough to stop saying that one person is inferior to another! Snow Dog's comments are just as valid as mine .,.. except that he can't have the ugly duckling nickname ... that's mine!

This is just a theory, Pedro, so chill out. There is no predisposition on desistindo's part. It's just a theory (but I like to think of it as a hypothesis). Where did you see racism here or an air of superiority?

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

I understand what you mean. This idea was partially the basis for my thread on your prog favs sometimes letting you down. I like Yes and Genesis (for example) but I don't like ALL of their output. And yes I would say that I would therefore tend to listen to the ones I like more often than the albums I would rather forget.

Its all about opinions obviously - however, I wouldn't trash another persons opinion and persistently call one of the members of a band they really like a 'clown'.
It's called 'maturity'

Edited by horza - March 17 2013 at 13:54

Originally posted by darkshade:

Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot.

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

you must have some awfully bizarre, insane and stupid ideas about collectors ... if I want all Mozart, wtf would I care if you think it is a 1-star, 2-star, or 3-star, specially when it went by your rankings?

No, no, no, you got him entirely wrong. He's asking why you would listen to an album you think is mediocre when you could listen to one that you think is excellent. He's not forcing his taste on you whatsoever.

I may not agree with desistindo myself, but at least have the courtesy of not putting words into his mouth.

^ Well, what else can I hang on to? It's probably one of the best ideas to go by* if you refuse to read other people's reviews for whatever reason. It really depends on the people who lay down their opinion for you, though I doubt that a lot of the people who shape the ratings on sites like RateYourMusic.com are big-time idiots.

(Do keep in mind that I am a person who did put Obscured by Clouds in his top ten list.)

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

an album can be a two-star album for someone, and a 5-star album for someone else.

For example, my favourite Saga album is 'Behaviour', which is rather poorly rated in PA.

^Oh, no. I do read ratings, certainly, but I try my best not to be swayed by them before I listen to an album, or only read them after I listen to an album to see if other people feel the same way.

(And I definitely don't think that anyone should feel forced to do stuff the way I do, so feel free to ignore my comments. )

I don't let ratings and reviews to sway my attitude towards the music either, be that before or after listening. I simply use the numbers to influence my first purchasing choices. "Well, of all the albums by this artist this one has the highest rating, so it might be a good idea to start with that one." Not that it's a really good kind of logic to follow, but again, I'm just too lazy to read reviews to see what's best for me. Besides, I might find something else, more things to like about music. Ultimately, I will know that whether or not the music on that album clicks with me or not, I already have an idea of what record from the artist please most people (or please the people the most, which are not the same thing).

v ... I don't really find ratings to be only for entertainment purposes. Let's say I've read some reviews already, but I'm still at crossroads. I have nothing else to rely on but the math.

I have a theory that only collectors listen to prog that arent a masterpiece (at least in personal taste perspective). If you can listen to a top star album, why would you listen a two star, for instance? Particularly speaking, I have many prog albums and I just linsten back to the tops. Does it occur with you too?

The ratings are only for entertainment purposes. If you put too much value in them then I will have to give you just one star...

I don't let ratings and reviews to sway my attitude towards the music either, be that before or after listening. I simply use the numbers to influence my first purchasing choices. "Well, of all the albums by this artist this one has the highest rating, so it might be a good idea to start with that one." Not that it's a really good kind of logic to follow, but again, I'm just too lazy to read reviews to see what's best for me.

Yeah, same. I'll see if a band is in the Archives, check their highest rated album (or most rated or highest rated with good cover art [that's why I heard Fragile before CTTE ]) and if I really hate that album, I might try out another from another 'era' (if the band has multiple) to see if that suits me better.

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